ibia were rather too hard morsels for the dowager's teeth; she was
obliged to give up the attack and content herself with impotent barks,
while the old man, who would gladly have given a month's wages to break
her jaw with the tip of his, boot, caressed her with his hand, saying,
"Softly, pretty dear! softly, pretty little creature!" in a hypocritical
tone.

This courtier-like conduct touched the old lady's heart and softened the
severe look upon her face.

"Stop your noise, Constance," said she, "lie down beside your mistress.
Rousselet, come nearer."

The old man obeyed, walking across the floor with reverential bows, and
taking a position like a soldier presenting arms.

"You were the one," said Mademoiselle de Corandeuil, "who was sent to
Remiremont yesterday? Did you perform all the commissions that were given
you?"

"It is not among the impossibilities, Mademoiselle, that I may have
neglected some of them," replied the old man, fearing to compromise
himself by a positive affirmative.

"Tell us, then, what you did."

Leonard wiped his nose behind his hat, like a well-bred orator, and,
balancing himself upon his legs in a way not at all Bourbonic, he said:

"I went to the city that morning myself because Monsieur le Baron had
said the night before that he should hunt to-day, and that the groom was
to help Monsieur le Baron drive a wild boar out of the Corne woods. I
reached Remiremont; I went to the butcher's; I purchased five kilogrammes
of dressed goods--"

"Of dressed goods at the butcher's!" exclaimed Madame de Bergenheim.

"I would say ten pounds of what uneducated people call pork," said
Rousselet, pronouncing this last word in a strangled voice.

"Pass over these details," said Mademoiselle de Corandeuil. "You went to
the post-office."

"I went to the post-office, where I put in letters for Mademoiselle,
Madame, Monsieur le Baron, and one from Mademoiselle Aline for Monsieur
d'Artigues."

"Aline writing to her cousin! Did you know that?" said the old aunt,
turning quickly toward her niece.

"Certainly; they correspond regularly," replied Clemence with a smile
which seemed to say that she saw no harm in it.

The old maid shook her head and protruded her under lip, as much as to
say: We will attend to this another time.

Madame de Bergenheim, who was out of patience at this questioning, began
to speak in a quick tone which was a contrast to her aunt's solemn
slowness.

"Rousselet," said s